Salem Witch Museum

We stopped off in Salem on Tues 10/02/26 and headed off to the Salem Witch Museum for a walk-in. We were greeted by the lovely, friendly staff and a walk-in was accepted, we paid and within 10 minutes we were asked to head into a darkened auditorium, literally only by a glowing red circle with the names of the victims of the Salem Witch Trials in 1692. The presentation began, narrated through loudspeakers, whilst pertinent parts of the story were accompanied by scenes posed by mannequins that were lit at the appropriate time. We found the story, and the way it was told, informative and immersive. After the first presentation we were led to another room, where a young lady told of the Witch Trials, the history and Hollywood trope about witches and witchcraft, and relevant historic information, lasting approximately another 10 minutes. We were then given time to read the exhibits' details at our leisure, with a friendly reminder to not rush. Exiting through the gift shop afterwards where there was an array of items to purchase. All in all, we were very pleased with our visit to the Salem Witch Museum.

Very cool use of an old church. Ok, the mannequins they use to tell the story of the witch trails are very old school...but the rest of the museum is really interesting. The people who work here are very knowledgable and helpful. If you get the chance, it's worth the time.

The first part of the museum was a bit campy and felt somewhat dated. It wasn't terrible and I learned a good bit from it. The second section of the museum was nice and informative. Make sure to get there before your call time because even during the weekday it was very busy. During the month of October they open the tickets 12 hrs before so you have to be strategic to get the slot you want.

We visited Salem two days before Halloween, so the whole town was super fun and festive, even though the weather wasn’t great. We came across the Salem Witch Museum 1692 and decided to give it a try. It was very busy, with lines to get in, but everything was organized well. You scan a QR code on a sign to buy your tickets, and then line up about 30 minutes before your time slot. Once inside, you enter an auditorium with benches along the wall and small tufted circle seats in the middle. The show begins with the story of the Salem witch trials, told through mannequins positioned around the room, paired with lighting effects and narration. It was dramatized in an interesting way — not quite what I expected, but well done. Afterward, you move into a second exhibit area where a staff member shares more background about witches, the trials, and related cultural and historical facts. The entire experience lasted about 45 minutes. Overall, I think the experience was priced fairly. I wouldn’t have paid much more, but it was worth it to get a better understanding of the history — especially while visiting Salem during Halloween season.

Honestly disappointed. My family is glad we went for the experience. But truthfully we were really let down. The recorded narration on the presentation contains inaccurate info that a simple Google search would prove to be wrong. Sorry, but getting an entire person’s (Tituba) race, culture, beliefs, and personal history WRONG just to sell the narrative is inexcusable. Very disappointed in that. And the items that were on display in the “museum” were also a let down and had very little/nothing to do with the actual witch trials at all. We saw a much better exhibit at the Peabody Essex Museum, that included copies of documents and letters as well as items owned by the victims. Overall, I would never go and pay the $54 to do this again, and honestly disappointed we spent THAT much for our visit, I fully advise anyone visiting in the future to keep all these things in mind. Because after our visit, we fully understand why they don’t allow filming inside. They definitely don’t want anyone to see how underwhelming it is before going and lose their business. 🥴

Very well presented, good explanation, informative and accurate account of what happened. Dramatised but accurate. It's not typical museum rather listen to pre recorded audio with life size visuals, followed by guided tour of exhibits. Worth the ticket price.

I loved the experience but wish it wasn't so structured toward the end. The narrated story was very educational and unique compared to other self guided museums but once you get past that, you get ushered into a smaller room, given a ton of information really fast, and then are expected to head out without being given enough room or space to really observe or read all the displays. I would still recommend going at least once because it's one of those things you just have to do at least once. But I won't go out of my way to go back unless I have a very good reason.

We swung through the area on a whim...we happened to be going from Maine to Boston and thought our Hocus Pocus loving kids would like to learn about the real Salem Witch Trials. They were super engaged with it and we like the historical information. Note this may be a little scary for younger kids. We did see a dad take his young son (maybe 6) out of the Exhibit. Ours are almost 10 and we had no issues. This is not just a "wander though a museum" type of exhibit. Its done in a storytelling format. This helps move people through. There are two exhibits to see and they do a half and half approach to see the 2nd exhibit. Everyone leaves the main exhibit, half move on to the 2nd exhibit and the other half are stagged in the gift shop. After about 15min they flip. The whole thing took an hour or so. We came in the middle of the week so there wasnt a terribly long wait. We parked in a local garage, which was almost to capacity, so coming early would be a benefit (we arrived around noon). Staff was knowledgeable and friendly.

We enjoyed this museum and it was pretty much what we expected. The intro with the narration and wax figures was pretty cool. I feel like it would probably frighten small children, but for older kids and adults, I think it's great! I also enjoyed the second part of the museum that talked about how our view of witches as a society has evolved through time. My one suggestion would be to allow guests to linger and view the wax scenes after the show for a bit, and the second part too! It felt a bit rushed. To be fair, I did not ask if I could linger to see anything longer, so that may be a possibility already. If not, the information and presentation is still super! I understand the demand might result in the need to move people along quicker. The museum was informative! I noticed some people seemed a bit disappointed in the lack of actual artifacts from the trials. I think it's important to remember how long ago this was, and that, at the time, it was not such an important moment in history to the people involved, so having real artifacts of the trials themselves might be more challenging than expected.

Just don't waste your money. The building is nice. Staff were short, lacking in enthusiasm and not very helpful. This place and story could be so great but as it is, it's maybe worth $5 per person for the dated story show they have set up. If you want to call it a museum, fill it full of artifacts, history of the area, or witches etc. There are some items, it we were rushed through so quickly by the staff we didn't get a chance to look at the few things that were there. Again, could be amazing, but at the moment it's just embarrassing, and not worth anywhere near the $18 each we paid; Again save your money, there's a bunch of other places up the street that look a lot more interesting.

Worst historical tour in the area and a complete waste of time and money. They simply regurgitate the story said at the Witch Dungeon, and press buttons for audio recordings for displays. Our guide had no enthusiasm and skipped a lot of information, rushed through the entire thing and skipped "dungeon dioramas." A pathetic waste of time... save your money.

Definitely worth visiting for a nice historical snapshot of the history of the witch trials. The displays seem to be decades old, but the near melting faces lend to the spookiness. (Really, I don't mean this as a negative! But if you could replace all the dolls of Its a Small World with these mannequins, you'd never sleep again!) The museum is well organized. After the main presentation, the group is already split in two to allow better flow and views. Yes you can buy your tickets on site, with each group starting in the hour.

This place is a totally kitschy type of place perfect for a tourist visiting Salem. They have a preprogrammed presentation with different diorama type scenes displayed. It's fun and you get to learn a basic overview of the history of the Salem Witch trials. It's the kind of spot I would expect to see on a billboard if I was on a road trip. It's NOT a serious museum of artifacts and scientific or anthropological research. They have a gift shop with all the expected trinkets and bobbles with a witchy theme. The staff were friendly and helpful. Overall I say check it out if you're in the area. Just don't go in expecting a serious museum.

We went to Salem for a day while visiting Boston. Fun day filled with a little "Witchery"! Checked out the Salem Witch Museum. We tried to pick one that would give us a more accurate look at that time in history. We had no other museums to compare with so we had to use our own knowledge. Basically it's like this. If you have ever seen the Crucible or seen the play which we have several times. This is pretty much a version of the times and trials of the suppose witches. I had read a lot of reviews on this museum and although the wax figures are a little dated it still holds the test of time. I think it actually gave it character and enhanced the experience. I enjoyed the presentation. Very comfortable inside. Very clean. Beautiful store with lovely items for souvenirs and etc. I highly recommend if you are a history buff or just want to have a little enlightenment of what it was like in that time and era. Everyone was super friendly and gracious.

It's a New England rite of passage to visit this place. Everyone who grew up in Massachusetts probably went here as a child. As an adult, I bring people here as their first stop in Salem for the quick overview of the witch trials. It's a super fast voiceover with lit sets that haven't been changed in years. You're not going to be blown away by special effects or great exhibitions, but it's all about the nostalgia for me. And like I said at the start, it's kind of a rite of passage for people that are new to Salem.

Order tickets online. Showtimes are actually 15 minutes after your own ticket time. Outdated script. They don't allow flash photography or audio recording. Probably because there was a part of the show that had a lot of moaning (to depict how some girls were possessed by the devil) Would not recommend. Even if the ticket price was lowered to $5.

Not worth the price at all. If you want to learn about the Salem witch trials take a guided walking tour. Don't waste your money on this place. It's not a museum where they have artifacts to look at and see. It's boring. Totally waste of time and money

Personally I found the first portion the most interesting. It kind of threw me off seeing so many statues to demonstrate how the witch trial happened. But It will put everything into perspective in terms of the witch trial. I think the most baffling part of information for me was the history of how the witch hat and broom became a part of the witch "Look". But that's something for you to find out for yourself! FYI: The gift shop is the best one you'll find that will give you more for your buck in comparison to a lot of other local gift shops.

Very anticlimactic and underwhelming tour. We waited most of the time, listened to two recordings and were led to the gift shop. You do keep your tickets and are able to use it around Salem for discounts at select businesses.

$17 per person admission ticket! what a waste of time and money. 1st section you will see mannequins and some audio story about witch trials then they ask you to stay at their gift shop for 20 min. After that, they will ask you see a bunch of articles on the wall. that's it!!! what!!! don't they know that most of us are tourists? this is just lame. big zero star, not even worth to come even free. This is a tourist trap in Salem!

The Salem Witch Museum is a must see when visiting Witch City! The experience lasts about an hour and provides an excellent overview of the Salem Witch trials and the events leading up to the tragedy. The narration and visual displays (not live actors) really bring the story to life. After the tour, the museum has a really nice, and affordable, gift shop. While many of the stores in Salem of the same items, and I would not consider the museum gift shop to be a traditional Witchcraft store like Pentagram or Crow Haven Corner, it does have some unique gifts and books you may not find on Essex Street. I highly recommend the Salem Witch Museum among the other attractions in Salem.

Only TWO ROOMS, no artifacts or anything. Not a "museum" in the slightest. In the first room, you sit and look at wax figures while a voiceover story plays and tries to make the "museum" scary. Then (50% of the time), you stand around in their tiny, crowded gift shop for 10-15 minutes. They then lead you to the second room, where they talk about the "evolving perspective" of witches, aka, irrelevant things from the 20th century that have nothing to do with the Salem Witch Trials. Then, you LEAVE. They tell you a story you could hear on a ghost tour, then talk about Communism and the Wizard of Oz, and then kick you out. Absolute scam.

Group visit to Salem and we thought it would be a good choice to visit the museum. Well, not so much. It was somewhat informative. But the website labels it as 1.25 hr. We arrived early only for I find out our 3:15 is really 3:30 and we we outside and off for coffee in 35 minutes. If you go, sit literally in the middle of the room. Otherwise you miss half the non-animated show. The last wall is actually a powerful statement but lost by the end of the tour.

What a Witchy Place!!!! Happened by here while I was out in Boston for some work. This place is pretty cool. Very touristy but cool too. I saw the show and it was interesting and shared some unknown facts. I think I had an idea of most of the with trials from school but did not know it to this much detail. The shop is cool and has all sorts of witchy stuff. If you are into witchery this has to be a destination of yours.

A very short museum that had an outdated look to everything. Not worth the money because the only interesting thing overall is the building outside.

It's really impressive on the outside and I wanted more. It's basically a story telling wax museum. Not terrible, but the gift shop and the outside are the best parts.

Don't waste your time. It is really not that interesting, and it is kind of expensive for what it is. You're ushered into a large room where everyone is seating on extremely uncomfortable stools, and there is a proverbial mannequin show that occurs around you while some 1940s voiceover explains what is happening in each scene. And in case that doesn't put you off too much, there is an intermission where you're escorted into an objectively terrible gift shop, to wait your turn to do something else. But you're caged in this gift shop for 10-15 minutes. I would do almost anything else besides the Salem Witch Museum.

The Salem Witch Mueseum is advertised as a "must see" attraction when visiting Salem. It was definitely just a one and done for me. I love museums but this isn't your standard walk through and see artifacts. It is very popular especially during October. Tickets must be purchased online day of and they go love at midnight. We almost missed out because tickets were selling fast. We were able to snag two at 2am. We arrived at our designated time and then had to wait in the hallway while the other group in front of us finished up. It's a two part museum. First one you are in a row and sit and learn about the history of the witch trials. Sit in the middle because it's a 360 experience and that way you can see everything. The second is kind of like the exhibit museum I was thinking of but your group is broken in two. So half goes in and the other explores the gift shop. The gift shop was my favorite thing out of the museum.

It was more a presentation than a museum. Would prefer a museum where you can look at items and read stuff. There were so many signs to read but a presentation was happening and the. You are rushed out. It was also very dry. Could use more theatrics if you are going this route.

This is not worth the wait and not worth the money. This is something that 3rd graders go to on a class trip. It's $17.50 a person. You have to buy your tickets online. You have to get there 15 minutes before you check in time and then wait an additional 15 minutes to go into a theater area. The show is just vignettes of images of scenes from the witch trials. It is historical and it tell the story. After that, you are ushered into another area with vignettes with other images of witches in modern times. That part could have been a walk through. It exits into the gift shop. It was not worth it. This should have been $10, if that. I wanted it to be better but it was lacking. There might be better museums in salem. Skip this.

For first timers this spot is cool to check out to learn the history of the Salem witch trials and how they came about. The tickets are $16.50 for adults. It's two presentation shows with statues and auto track. With a gift shop at the end of the presentations. The staff were very nice and bathrooms were really clean. This could also be included with the GO CITY Pass if you have it!

Pros: I traveled from CA to visit this museum and noticed you will have to make same day reservations online. We got there the day before the holiday and the line was pretty long. The ambiance was awesome it seems like a lot of us are eager to learn more about the witch trials. The gift ship is awesome and they do have hocus pocus merch. We stopped by in the afternoon and the building itself looks amazing from the outside. I can only imagine how it looks at night. I was expecting a live presentation but it is what it is was expecting a little bit more artifacts. The price is a little high for what it is but overall I understand it's to help keep the museum open.

If I could give this zero stars I would. Museum is a stretch. You walk in and end up in this weird auditorium with dolls telling a story of witch hysteria for about 45 min. This was their way of presenting history. Next you go to an actual "exhibit" that ends equating fear+trigger=scapegoat, using AIDS as a conversation topic to end the "presentation". This sounds bizarre because it is. The exhibit keeps circling back to these life size dolls explaining the semantic drift of the word "witch". The whole thing is all over the place and strange, to say the least. Explore one of the many real, amazing sites in Salem and spend $20 on something else instead of this absolute dumpster fire.

This museum isn't the flashiest .. it's more like "it's a small world" old school talking mannequin type of thing. But still cool if your looking for something to do

I'm honestly surprised this exists... the building it's in is historical, but the experience is akin to an elementary school play. It's hokey and poorly produced. For the amount of people flooding through Salem during the Hallween season, you'd think they'd have the funding to be able to update and provide a bit of a better experience. Between the two portions you're shoved into the gift shop which is tiny and packed full of people so it's just uncomfortable. I'd say if you're in the planning process of your trip, just skip this. There are much better Salem witch things to do/see.

Place is cool for a history lesson on what happened here in Salem back in 1692. But honestly not what we were expecting. Was expecting a lot more for all the history that happened here in regards to witches. What you get is 20 mins of 5-6 mannequins telling their story of what happened while sitting in an auditorium. Then after moved into another room for 10 mins to listen to 2 other mannequins talk about what they went through. Then done. Was disappointed cause I wanted to see more. I gave 3 stars because the history of their stories was good, and it only cost $16. But something is definitely missing...

I think people are a little harsh in their reviews. In an era of 4k phones and over the top cinematography I feel like a majority of reviewers missed the point. I see one person said it was disrespect to the innocent victims. They literally say during the tour and have signs saying to respect the area. For 16.50 I didn't expect state of the art robotics and pyrotechnics. Admittedly, the displays are extremely outdated. But I left feeling way more educated. If you take the time to read the signs (especially while waiting in the main foyer), you'll find out some pretty surprising stuff. For instance no one was actually burned at the stake in the US. I feel like they really point out how dramatized the Witch Trials were while highlighting the real tragedies and horrors that took place. They dispelled the drama and gave real truth to the stories. I particularly liked the last room I went to where they pointed out how minorities are always targeted and the unknown is feared. Cause it's so true and a good lesson to pass to the younger generation. Fearing what you don't understand is natural, but not an excuse to exercise hate and bigotry. I was disappointed at the selection of clothing and found them rather lacking any real creativity. That's my only real big complaint. Go here humbly if you're wanting to learn the real, true history of the Witch Trials. Don't expect a Michael Bay feature

Wow I paid how much for this crap!!!! You set in a room and look at dusty wax figures in poor lighting conditions. With all the money this place brings in what about brings the displays into the 21st century. Waste of time

I think this museum was nice for the two portions it did have, and the introduction in the large room was really neat! However, the tour is really rushed, so you can't really take in any information outside of what the narration provides for you. This was underwhelming and we just wish there had been more!

A "must do" if you are here, I guess. Do it early in your trip if you do not know the story behind the history. Even if you know, this brings up other good parallels. This is super antiquated, but the novelty of it is notable. However, a few "low budget" additions could kick up the entertainment value immensely. You're probably not getting out of having to go, but at least now you have been pre warned. Not a waste of time, just not very exciting.

I enjoyed the presentation (audio panoramas) and learning more about this horrible time in our history. I think it's overpriced for what it is, a 40-45 minute presentation that's billed as 1 hour.

No idea why this place doesn't have higher stars - We really enjoyed our show and felt that us and our children really did learn a lot. We had a great time and would highly recommend this to anyone visiting! It happened to be included in our tickets from our GO CITY pass. The gift shop had some really great stuff as well!

Beware this tourist trap. Don't be fooled into thinking this "museum" is focused on the Salem Witch Trials. Outside of the 15 minute wax figure history lesson with its over the top presentation, nothing else about this place focuses on the Salem trials. Its presentation is really quite disrespectful to the innocent people who died. I wish I'd seen the Yelp reviews before visiting.

Salem is packed full of "witch museums" for your Halloween visit (or, perhaps more wisely, your visit at some other time of year if you'd rather not contend with wall-to-wall people). This is the original, the one generations of second graders have visited for their field trips. (I was a timid seven-year-old and was not scared at all, for the record. But the image of Giles Corey-- see attached picture-- did leave a mark in my brain that never left, and when I went back as an adult it seemed largely unchanged.) Since it has been around for so long, it is indeed dated. You're going to see mid-twentieth century technology, not mid-twenty-first century technology. There are two presentations: one a brief retelling of the witch trials, one touching more broadly on witchcraft and metaphorical witch hunts. This is not the sort of museum where you wander around looking at artifacts... although they do have a nice first edition of the Wizard of Oz to help illustrate the changing views of witches in pop culture. For me, the dated style is a feature more than a bug. How have we told this story over the years? How has Salem marketed itself over the years? In fact, it will break my heart when and if this place changes over to new tech in deference to Salem's October tourism slam.

Look.. it's salem and you came here for history and witches. It's super hokey, but it's fun. For 17.50 you get a 30 minute pseudo-history lesson in an auditorium and a 15 minute history of witches exhibit. All in all I'm glad I did it. Staff was nice, it's air conditioned and it's kind of fun while still being relaxing. After walking around all day it's not a bad way to spend an hour. The souvenir shop had some affordable little trinkets and fun witch stuff, it's right on the park and close to everything. If it was $10 or less it's be a 5-star experience but for what they charge you should get more than very clearly dated dioramas and the thriller voice telling you about the witch trials.

This museum was a lot different than I expected. It's not a traditional museum where there are artifacts and you can read a lot of stuff. There are two parts. For the first part, you go inside a dark theater. Before entering, you have to wait 15 minutes in the hallway. Inside the theater, I would recommend sitting in the middle section so you can see everything around you. There is a voiceover that re-enacts the history of the trials. Then for the second part, they divide you in two groups. One group goes into the second part of the museum and the other group waits about 15 minutes in the gift shop. Once inside for the second part, a voiceover talks about modern day witches and pop culture. I wanted to read more what was on the wall. but after the voice stoped talking, they said we had to leave. I think the tickets are too expensive for the experience.

I can't believe I paid for this. It's essentially a big gift shop with 30-minute indoor tours for $17. Online tickets only and even when you check in on time they force you to spend 15 minutes in the gift shop. You'll have a better time watching YouTube videos.

Not what we were expecting. Not a traditional museum. Expect sitting in a dark room while mannequins are spotlighted while they "speak".

Super cheesy . We read the reviews and chose to save this for last contingent if we had time . Please make sure you see and do all the things in Salem prior to coming here . It's highly marketed to tourists and I promise you will be better off to spend your time and money on a more authentic Salem experience.

WARNING - TOURIST TRAP - NOT A MUSEUM I would have given more stars because I hate bashing a small business. But simply, this place is NOT A MUSEUM. At all. Dictionary.com definition of museum... a building or place where works of art, scientific specimens, or other objects of permanent value are kept and displayed. This place really looks good on the outside and there is a lot of hype. But they have your money and you're inside, what an incredible disappointment. They sit you in a big room and there are 15 or so wax figure scenes that light up and tell the story of the Salem witch trials. The wax scenes are old, the sound system is older. Then they split you up into two groups, make half wait in the gift shop while the other half sees a second part of the show. I felt like a kindergartener being told where to line up and go. We walked out after the second part of the "museum" started. Save your money, go read or watch The Crucible and you'll get the same understanding of what happened that this "museum" offers.

This is the original witch attraction in Salem and has been in operation for 50 years. If you see only one witch museum on your visit, this is the one I recommend. Is it a bit dated? Sure. But, in my opinion, that's part of the charm. It is well maintained for its age, so it's not crumbling and decrepit as some seem to think it is. Sure, some would likely love to see it get a facelift; though there are surely those who think an overhaul would ruin it. You can't please everyone - as evidenced by other reviewers saying it's too narrowly focused on the Salem witch trials whereas others are saying it's too broadly focused by featuring a gallery that overviews the perception of witches overtime. Also, if you are looking for authentic "artifacts" from the trials, you are going to be sorely disappointed in all the museums around Salem, as hardly any survive. For many years, the witch trials were an embarrassment. So, they weren't exactly preserving relics from the event. This museum does, however, showcase a portion of a wooden beam from the jail where the accused were held. I do want to add that the Salem Witch Museum does boast one of the best gift shops in the city. Merchandise includes items that are specific to the museum, Salem, the witch trials, and witches in general - both real and fictional. There is even a bookshop section. And, yes, you will find Hocus Pocus merch here. My advice is to go in with an open mind and an intent to learn something. Remember that this is meant to be educational. Also, the museum itself is a part of Salem history. So, take that for what it's worth and just have fun!

Lots of fun. Interesting facts. Always sit in the center of the theater to see the entire show

Went one October & I loved it. The history & the way we sat in a circle while getting told the story of the Salem witch trials was amazing . Would go again

Amazing experience I had yesterday coming to this attraction. I have visited the witch museum prior to Covid and told my friend group it was a must. We could not get tickets all weekend but got lucky and signed on at 12 midnight Saturday night and got tickets for a 10:45 am show. It was a two part exhibit one part was a show the other was more details about witches. We were not allowed to take photos or videos inside or I would have posted it. But don't want to spoil anything either. The gift shop definitely was one my favorite gift shops in Salem. Thank you for the great experience.

I had half-day layover in Boston and spent the day in Salem. This was the best part of the whole day. Very information and fun. I would recommend everyone go.

For as hard as it is to get tickets here, you'd think that this would be a more impressive museum. I'm gonna be real here--this place needs a MAJOR MAKEOVER. They shuffle you into a large auditorium and then TURN THE LIGHTS OFF for you to then listen to a prerecorded script (to which my friend and I both fell asleep during) and they move from wax figurine set up to, wax figurine set up and detail a brief overview of the history of the Trials. Unless you like napping in weird places with a bunch of people sitting next to you, save yourself the money and go on a Tour with Bewitched After Dark; you'll actually learn something and won't be bored to sleep while listening.

This was absolutely not what we expected. I wouldn't necessarily call this a museum because there is 1 artifact in the entire thing but it doesn't relate to the past history of witches. The outside of the building is gorgeous and they have done a nice job decorating however that's about as far as it goes. The gift shop is also extremely disappointing because it seems they stock it with generic items that don't even relate to the "museum". I suggest spending your money elsewhere.

This was the biggest waste of time and money. They were more concerned about controlling the crowd than offering a semi-informative museum experience. They crowded us in, we couldn't take pictures, and I wonder if they had any artifacts because I didn't see a single one. I learned the same amount today that I did in 8th grade social studies. I recommend no one go to this museum. I love history and museums, and this is now my least favorite ever. They should relabel this place as a gift shop with weird wax figurines. Do better!! Be a museum!! Lame. Terrible.